Stand or table.



No. 810,296. PATENTBD JAN. 16, 1906.

J. W. MEAKER.

STAND OR TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1904.

No. 810.296. PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906. J. w. MEAKBR.

STAND OR TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1904.

3 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

J ZZWW (2% PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

-\ J. W. MEAKER.

STAND OR TABLE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1904.

3 SHEETSSHEE'I' 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT onnron.

JOHN W. MEAKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR. BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TOMEAKER SALES COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

Specification of Letters. Patent.

STAND OR TABLE.

Patented J an. 16. 1906.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. MEAKER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Stands or Tables; .and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tables or stands of that classadapted foruse as a desk or as a support for a type-writer orsewing-machine and having an open top, a hinged leaf adapted to closesaid top, and a pivotally-mounted supporting member or shelf adapted tobe dropped below the level of the top of the table or stand when theleaf is closed and to be raised to bring the parts supported thereby inoperative position when the leaf is opened.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described, and pointedout in the appended claims.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of a table or stand provided with a hinged leaf and with a cabinetfor writing materials, constituting a desk when the leaf is in its openposition. Fig. 2 is a perspective showing the stand illustrated in Fig.1 in its closed position. Fig. 3 is a view in central vertical sectiontaken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, showing the hinged leaf, the pivotal orswinging supporting member thereof, and the cabinet in side view withthe parts closed. Fig. 4 is a like sectional view taken on line 3 3 ofFig. 2, showing the pivoted leaf, the supporting members, and cabinet inside view with the parts open. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on line5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 4.Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the metal frame of the supportingmember.

As shown in said drawings and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, Aindicates a table or stand which is provided in its top A with anopening extending through the front margin of the top. B indicates aleaf which is 'pivotally supported in said opening by means ofhorizontal pivots b b, which engage the side margins of the said leafand the table-top at either side of the opening therein and are locatednear the front margin B of said leaf, said margin B forming a part orcontinuation of the front margin of the table-top when the leaf isclosed and operating when the leaf is opened to complete the liftingmovement of the swinging or hinged supporting member C and hold it inits elevated position, as will be hereinafter described. Said leaf B isshown as made tapering or thicker at its inner than at its outer edge.It will have flat or plane sides, but need not necessarily be tapering,as shown. The pivots b are located midway between the upper and lowersurfaces of the said leaf and at a distance from the upper surface ofthe table-top equal to onehalf of the thickness of the leaf at the pointwhere the pivots are located, so that when said leaf is swung outwardlyon its pivot and is in its extended position, as shown in Fig. 1, thetop surface of the leaf will be flush with the upper surface of thetable-top, and when the leaf is swung inwardly to close the opening inthe table-top its surface, which is then uppermost, will be flush withthe said upper surface of the table-top, and in both positions of theleaf the entiretop of the table, including the leaf, is composed ofbut-a single thickness of material, this being an important feature, notonly because of the smooth level condition of the entire top in bothpositions of the leaf, but because of the obvious saving of wood orother material of which the top is composed and because of the semblanceto an ordinary table when the leaf is in its closed position. Thesidefaces of the opening in the table-top are vertical and parallel witheach other, and the leaf is made of the same width as said opening, soas to fill the same when. in its closed position.

C indicates a hinged supporting member which is pivotally connected withthe tabletop so as to swing on a pivotal axis located at the front sideof the table-top and below the level of the pivots b b of the leaf B. Inthe particular construction shown and illustrated in Fig. 4 thesupporting member con sists of a rectangular metal frame consisting oftwo side bars a c and two cross-bars c and 0 connecting the same. Theparts of the bars constituting the rectangular frame will preferablyhave the form of angle-irons, the horizontal flanges of which will beremoved in the parts of the bars 0 c which form the forwardly-projectingarms illustrated. The

side bars 0 c are extended forwardly beyond the cross-piece 0 so as toform two arms, the forwardly-projecting arms referred to, which at theirforward ends are connected with the side portions of the tabletop bymeans of pivots D D. The rear end of the supporting member is adapted toswing from a horizon tal position, as shown in Fig. 4, to a downwardlyand-rearwardly inclined position, as shown in Fig. 3.

E indicates a case or cabinet which rests upon the supporting member Cand which is adapted to contain writing materials or other articles.Said cabinet E is preferably made of triangular form, as seen in endview, so that it may occupy substantially all the space between thesupporting member 0 and the leaf B when the supporting member is swungdownwardly or depressed and the leaf is closed, as seen in Fig. 3. Whenthe supporting member consists of an open frame, as illustrated in Figs.1 to 7, the said cabinet E will have a bottom wall e, end walls e e, anda rear wall 0 and its bottom wall 6 will be fitted at its margins withinthe open frame formed by the frame-bars c, 0, c, and 0 F F indicateflexible connecting members, preferably having the form of chains, whichare attached at their forward ends to the sides of the leaf B, asillustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and at their rear ends to the rear ormovable end of the supporting member C. Said connecting members passbetween their ends over fixed guide-rollers G G, mounted on the tablebelow the upper surface of the tabletop and at or near the rear of theopening therein. Said guide-rollers G are located in such position thatwhen the leaf B is open or extended the upper parts of the rollers willbe approximately in line with the leaf-pivots b b and the points wherethe said flexible connections are attached to the leaf. The re sult ofthis construction is that when the leaf is in its extended position andthe supporting member C drawn up into its horizontal position the endpull on the connecting members due to the weight of the supportingmembers C will exert on the leaf practically no leverage tending to liftits outer end, or so little leverage compared with the weight of theleaf as to have no tendency to lift the leaf and permit the supportingmember to descend.

The side bars 0 c of the supporting member C will preferably be locatedoutside of the 'side edges of the leaf B, as clearly seen in thesectional views Figs. 5 and 6. Said side bars are in the particularconstruction illustrated fitted to enter rabbets formed to receive themin the table-top at the sides of the openings therein. The flexibleconnecting members F will preferably be located in vertical planesclosely adjacent to the sides of the said openings in the table-top andin their parts which pass over or along the leaf when the same is in itsopen position, as shown in Fig. 4, will the rear parts thereof willextend through spaces between the sides of the openings in the table-topand the ends of the cabinet E, which latter is made shorter than thewidth of said opening in the table-top, as clearly seen in Fig. 6.

The flexible connecting members F preferably consist of chains providedat their forward ends or those which are attached to the leaf B with anelongated solid link or barf, which fits within the adjacent groove orrabbet I) and is flush at its upper margin with the top of the leaf, soas to give a smooth surface to the top of the table adjacent to theseparts when the leaf is open, as shown in Fig. 1. The said bars f areshown as connected at their forward ends with the leaf B by means ofconnecting-plates f, secured to the sides of the leaf, and links finterposed between said plates and the adjacent ends of the bars f. Saidlinks enable the bars to take the necessary angular position withrespect to the leaf when the latter is closed, as seen in Fig. 3.

When the leaf is closed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, its upper surfacewill be flush with the upper surface of the table-top, and the latter asa whole will be smooth or level, like the top of an ordinary table orstand. At this time, as seen in Fig. 3, the supporting mem ber C will bein its depressed or rearwardlyinclined position, and the cabinet E willrest below the leaf B, the rear margin of which will rest on the rollersG G or other suitablyarranged stops which may be provided, if desired.When the leaf B is opened or thrown outward into the position shown inFigs. 1 and 4, the supporting member C, with the cabinet E, will beraised or lifted, by means of the flexible connections or chains F, towithin a short distance of its fully-elevated position. The marginaledge B of the leaf B will then engage the cross-bar c of the supportingmember C and complete the lifting movement of the latter and thereafteroperate to firmly hold said member in its fully-elevated position.

I claim as my invention 1. A table or stand having an open top and apivotally-mounted leaf adapted to close said top, and to swing outwardlyto form an extension of said table, aswinging support normally belowsaid top having its pivotal supports located parallel with and adjacentto the axis of said leaf, suitable connections between said leaf andsaid support whereby the latter will be raised by the opening m'ovementof said leaf, said leaf having a marginal edge which engages theswinging support between its axial line and its free end when said leafis in its open position.

2. A table or stand having an opening in its top and a reversible leafpivotally mounted in said opening, adapted to close the same 1 and to beswung upwardly and outwardly to rest in grooves or rabbets l) in theleaf, while form an extension thereof, said leaf having its pivotalsupports located at a distance from its marginal edge, a swingingsupport normally below said opening having its pivotal connectionslocated adjacent to the aXis of said leaf, a chain or cord having oneend connected to said leaf and the other end connected to the free endof said support, a guide-pulley for said chain located at or near therear end of said opening, whereby said support Will be raised by theopening movement of said leaf, said leaf having a marginal edge adaptedto move under a portion of said support to complete the lifting movementand maintain said support in its elevated position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affiX mysignature, in presence of tWo Witnesses, this 20th day of July,

JOHN W. MEAKER. Witnesses:

C. CLARENCE POOLE, GERTRUDE BRYCE.

